Compositions and methods for attracting noctuid moths

ABSTRACT

The invention provides compositions for attracting noctuid moths, which include at least one pheromone and at least one synergist. The synergist is a naturally-occurring phytochemical compound. The synergist is preferably β-caryophyllene, iso-caryophyllene, α-humulene, or combinations thereof. The invention also provides traps containing the composition for attracting noctuid moths, and methods for attracting, capturing, killing or sterilizing noctuid moths using the composition.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to provisional U.S. application No.60/830,653, filed Jul. 12, 2006, the contents of which are incorporatedby reference herein in their entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention is directed to novel compositions and methods using thesenovel compositions for attracting moths, particularly noctuid moths.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Noctuid moths including beet armyworm, corn earworm, and tobacco budworm are pests which attack several economically important crops,including cotton. Although a variety of chemical pesticides have beenused in the past to control noctuid moths, there are seriousdisadvantages in these pesticides. Some pesticides pollute theenvironment while others are toxic to humans. Such environmental andconsumer safety concerns have led to the deregistration of manypesticides. Also, there is generally a reluctance to use any pesticideson agricultural products which are consumed as food. Therefore,eliminating, or at least reducing the amount of toxic pesticides used inthe management of insect pests is desirable. Consequently, scientistshave pursued the development of alternative pest control agents that aresafer for the environment and for consumers. Among such alternativecontrol agents are insect sex pheromones.

Many insects communicate by releasing volatile pheromones. Sexpheromones, for example, are typically released by one sex atappropriate times to attract the other sex of the same species. Thisphenomenon has been exploited to trap the insects of one sex and killthem, thereby preventing mating and reducing the insect population infollowing generations. Pheromones have been used in this way on acommercial basis for several years, and provide effective control ofnumerous insect pest species including noctuid moths.

Although the use of pheromones is advantageous, most pheromones areartificially synthesized, and thus are very expensive. As a result, pestcontrol or pest management using synthetic pheromones is not always costefficient. In some cases, naturally occurring and less-expensivecompounds can be identified that act as synergists to syntheticpheromones. For example, eugenol, a naturally occurring compound, hasbeen identified as a synergist and is used with the synthetic pheromone,grandlure, for capturing and controlling cotton boll weevils. Thenaturally-occurring compound adds to the attractant effect of thegrandlure (McKibben et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,183,733).

To date, no such synergists, have been identified for pheromones ofnoctuid moths. Accordingly, there exists a need to identify synergistsfor noctuid-moth-pheromones and develop less-expensive attractantformulations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention provides synergists for noctuid-moth-pheromones, andattractant-compositions for attracting noctuid moths, which comprisepheromones and synergists. The attractant-composition attracts insectsof one or more species of the family Noctuidae including, but notlimited to, beet army worm and tobacco bud worm.

The attractant-compositions contain at least one pheromone and at leastone synergist for attracting noctuid moths. In preferred embodiments,the pheromone is selected from the group (Z,E)-9,12-tetradecadien-1-olacetate, (Z)-9-tetradecen-1-ol acetate and (Z)-11-hexadecen-1-ol, andcombinations thereof, and the synergist is selected from the groupβ-caryophyllene, iso-caryophyllene and α-humulene, and combinationsthereof. In some embodiments, the attractant-composition furthercontains one or more additives such as, for example, pesticides, insectsterilants and/or insect growth regulators. The attractant-compositionsmay incorporate inert additives and carriers, and be in the form of aliquid, pellets, microspeheres, nanoparticles, tubules or combinationsthereof.

The invention provides traps for capturing noctuid moths, which includeone or more septa or containers for holding the attractant-composition.

The invention also provides a method for attracting and trapping noctuidmoths, thereby protecting crop plants from noctuid moths. The methodcomprises the steps of attracting noctuid moths with anattractant-composition of the invention; trapping the noctuid moths; andkilling or sterilizing the trapped noctuid moths. Crop plants protectedin this manner include, but are not limited to, cotton, corn, tobacco,soybean, tomato, artichoke, asparagus, cabbage, cantaloupe, collard,cowpea, cucumber, eggplant, lima bean, melon, okra, pea, pepper, potato,pumpkin, snap bean, spinach, squash, sweet potato, lettuce, alfalfa,flax, oat, millet, rice, sorghum, sugarcane, sunflower, vetch, and wheatand okra.

In some embodiments, the method may include an additional step ofassessing the population of trapped noctuid moths. Such assessments mayhelp, periodically, to monitor the noctuid moth population in a cropfield.

Other features and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent from the following detailed description. It should beunderstood, however, that the detailed description and the specificexamples, while disclosing the preferred embodiments of the invention,are given by way of illustration only, and that various changes andmodifications apparent to those skilled in the art are within the spiritand scope of the invention and the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a response of Heliothis virescens in a cottonenvironment to pheromone compositions with and without β-caryophylleneas a synergist in year 2005.

FIG. 2 illustrates a response of Heliothis virescens in a cottonenvironment to pheromone compositions with and without β-caryophylleneas a synergist in year 2004.

FIG. 3 illustrates a response of Spodoptera exigua in a cottonenvironment to pheromone compositions with and without β-caryophylleneas a synergist in year 2005.

FIG. 4 illustrates a response of Spodoptera exigua in a cottonenvironment to pheromone compositions with and without β-caryophylleneas a synergist in year 2004.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The attractant-compositions of the invention contain at least twocompounds. The first compound is a pheromone and the second compound isa synergist, as defined herein. The term “pheromone,” as used herein,means a volatile chemical or a set of volatile chemicals that attract atleast one species of noctuid moth.

In some embodiments, the pheromone is a sex pheromone which attracts onesex of a noctuid moth. In particular embodiments, the pheromone isselected from the group (Z,E)-9,12-tetradecadien-1-ol acetate,(Z)-9-tetradecen-1-ol acetate and (Z)-11-hexadecen-1-ol, andcombinations thereof. In one embodiment, the pheromone for attractingbeet army worm is a mixture of (Z,E)-9,12-tetradecadien-1-ol acetate and(Z)-9-tetradecen-1-ol acetate, preferably, in a ratio of 7:3. In anotherembodiment, the pheromone for attracting tobacco bud worm is(Z)-11-hexadecen-1-ol or its isomer. The pheromone may be naturallyoccurring or chemically synthesized by methods known to one skilled inthe art.

The term, “synergist,” as used herein, refers to a substance that can beused with a noctuid-moth-pheromone for reducing the amount of thepheromone dose or enhancing the effectiveness of the pheromone forattracting at least one species of noctuid moth. The synergist may ormay not be an independent attractant of noctuid moths in the absence ofa pheromone.

In preferred embodiments, the synergist is a volatile phytochemical thatattracts at least one species of noctuid moth. The term,“phytochemical,” as used herein, means a compound occurring naturally ina plant species.

In a particular embodiment, the synergist is selected from the groupcomprising β-caryophyllene, iso-caryophyllene and α-humulene, andcombinations thereof. In a preferred embodiment, the synergist isβ-caryophyllene or its Z isomer.

The attractant-composition may contain the pheromone and the synergistin a mixed or otherwise combined form or it may contain the pheromoneand the synergist independently in a non-mixed form.

The attractant-compositions may include one or more insecticides. In oneembodiment, the insecticides are chemical insecticides known to oneskilled in the art. Examples of the chemical insecticides include one ormore of pyrethoroid or organophosphorus insecticides, including but arenot limited to, cyfluthrin, permethrin, cypermethrin, bifinthrin,fenvalerate, flucythrinate, azinphosmethyl, methyl parathion, andmalathion.

In another embodiment, the insecticides are one or more biologicalinsecticides known to one skilled in the art. Examples of the biologicalinsecticides include, but are not limited to, toxins from naturalpyrethrins, Bacillus thuringiencis and Beauveria bassiana.

In certain embodiments, the attractant-composition may include one ormore polymeric agents known to one skilled in the art. The polymericagents may control the rate of release of the composition to theenvironment. In some embodiments, the polymeric attractant-compositionis impervious to environmental conditions. The polymeric agent may alsobe a sustained-release agent that enables the composition to be releasedto the environment in a sustained manner.

Examples of polymeric agents include, but are not limited to,celluloses, proteins such as casein, fluorocarbon-based polymers,hydrogenated rosins, lignins, melamine, polyurethanes, vinyl polymerssuch as polyvinyl acetate (PVAC), polycarbonates, polyvinylidenedinitrile, polyamides, polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), polyamide-aldehyde,polyvinyl aldehyde, polyesters, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyethylenes,polystyrenes, polyvinylidene, silicones, and combinations thereof.Examples of celluloses include, but are not limited to, methylcellulose,ethyl cellulose, cellulose acetate, cellulose acetate-butyrate,cellulose acetate-propionate, cellulose propionate, and combinationsthereof.

According to another embodiment of the invention, theattractant-composition may include one or more insect feedingstimulants. Examples of insect feeding stimulants include, but are notlimited to, crude cottonseed oil, fatty acid esters of phytol, fattyacid esters of geranyl geraniol, fatty acid esters of other plantalcohols, plant extracts, and combinations thereof.

According to another embodiment of the invention, theattractant-composition may include one or more insect growth regulators(“IGRs”). IGRs may be used to alter the growth of the noctuid moths andproduce deformed noctuid moths. Examples of insect growth regulatorsinclude, for example, dimilin.

According to another embodiment of the invention, theattractant-composition may include one or more insect sterilants thatsterilize the trapped insects or otherwise block their reproductivecapacity, thereby reducing the population in the following generation.In some situations allowing, the sterilized insects to survive andcompete with non-trapped insects for mates is more effective thankilling them outright.

According to another embodiment of the invention, theattractant-composition may include one or more additives that enhancethe stability of the composition. Examples of additives include, but arenot limited to, fatty acids and vegetable oils, such as for exampleolive oil, soybean oil, corn oil, safflower oil, canola oil, andcombinations thereof.

Furthermore, according to another embodiment of the invention, theattractant-composition may include one or more fillers. Examples offillers include, but are not limited to, one or more mineral clays(e.g., attapulgite). In some embodiments, the attractant-composition mayinclude one or more organic thickeners. Examples of such thickenersinclude, but are not limited to, methyl cellulose, ethyl cellulose, andany combinations thereof.

According to another embodiment, the attractant-compositions of thepresent invention include one or more solvents. Compositions containingsolvents are desirable when a user is to employ liquid compositionswhich may be applied by brushing, dipping, rolling, spraying, orotherwise applying the liquid compositions to substrates on which theuser wishes to provide an insecticidal coating. In some embodiments, thesolvent(s) to be used in the instant invention is/are selected so as tosolubilize, or substantially solubilize, the one or more ingredients ofthe attractant-composition. Examples of solvents include, but are notlimited to, ethyl alcohol, methyl alcohol, chlorinated hydrocarbons,petroleum solvents, turpentine, xylene, and any combinations thereof.

According to another embodiment of the invention, theattractant-composition may include one or more binders, such assynthetic and natural resins typically used in paints and coatings.These may be modified to cause the coated surface to be friable enoughto allow insects to bit off and ingest the material, while stillmaintaining the structural integrity of the coating. In someembodiments, the binder also acts a filler and/or a thickener. Examplesof binders include, but are not limited to, one or more of shellac,acrylics, epoxies, alkyds, polyurethanes, linseed oil, tung oil, and anycombinations thereof.

The attractant-compositions of the invention may be used in traps, suchas those commonly used to attract noctuid moths such as beet army wormand tobacco bud worm. Such traps are well known to one skilled in theart, and are commonly used in many states and countries in their motheradication programs. In one embodiment, the trap includes one or moresepta, containers or storage receptacles for holding theattractant-composition. In some embodiments, the pheromone trapscontaining the attractant-composition may be combined with other kindsof trapping mechanisms. For example, in addition to theattractant-composition, the pheromone trap may include one or moreflorescent lights, one or more sticky substrates and/or one or morecolored surfaces for attracting noctuid moths. In other embodiments, thepheromone trap containing the attractant-composition may not have otherkinds of trapping mechanisms. In particular embodiments, the trap is aTedders trap (See e.g., Stansly et al., Proc. Fla. State Hort. Soc. 110:22-26 (1997)) or a Florida trap (See e.g., Mizell and Tedders, Proc.Southeast Pecan Growers Assoc. 90: 52-53) as known to one skilled inart.

A plurality of traps containing the attractant-composition may be placedin a crop field. The locations of the traps, and the height of the trapsfrom ground may be selected in accordance with methods known to oneskilled in the art.

The attractant-composition attracts noctuid moths. In one embodiment,the attractant-composition attracts insects of one or more species ofthe genus Spodoptera. In one particular embodiment, theattractant-composition attracts Spodoptera exigua. In anotherembodiment, the attractant-composition attracts insects of one or morespecies of the genus Heliothis. In another particular embodiment, theattractant-composition attracts Heliothis vireseens.

The invention also provides a method for attracting and trapping noctuidmoths. The method includes administering to a predetermined site aneffective amount of the attractant-composition. Such administering maybe performed by adding the attractant-composition to a septa or storagereceptacle of a trap described herein. The trap may be set at any timeof the year in a field. Those of skill in the art can readily determinean appropriate amount of the compositions to use in a particular trap,and can also determine an appropriate density of traps/acre of cropfield to be protected.

The method may include periodically monitoring the total number orquantity of the trapped insects. The monitoring may be performed bycounting the number of insects trapped for a predetermined period oftime such as, for example, daily, weekly, bi-weekly, monthly,once-in-three months, or any other time periods selected by the monitor.Such monitoring of the trapped insects may help estimate the populationof insects for that particular period, and thereby help determine aparticular type and/or dosage of pest control in an integrated pestmanagement system. For example, when the number of trapped noctuid mothsis more than a pre-determined level in a particular week, a chemicalpesticide may be sprayed or applied to a crop field in order to controlnoctuid moths or a higher concentration of traps/acre may be set in acrop field in order to control noctuid moths during that particularweek.

In some embodiments, the method includes adding a pesticide to the trapso as to kill the trapped noctuid moths. The pesticide may be apesticide known to one skilled in the art. The pesticide may be mixedwith the attractant-composition or may be separately present in a trap.Mixtures may perform the dual function of attracting and killing thenoctuid moths.

The attractant-composition may be used in the fields of any crop plants.Examples of such crop plants include, but are not limited to, cotton,corn, soybean, and various vegetable crops.

The following examples are provided to further illustrate the inventiondescribed herein.

EXAMPLES Example 1 Heliothis virescens Response to a Pheromone Synergist

An experiment was carried out near Monticello, Drew County in Arkansasto study the response of tobacco bud worm, Heliothis virescens to apheromone synergist. The experiment was carried out in a habitat ofcotton and soybean. β-caryophyllene was used as a synergist with amixture of pheromones (Z,E)-9,12-tetradecadien-1-ol acetate and(Z)-9-tetradecen-1-ol acetate at the ratio of 7:3. Tedders traps wereused in the experiment. Each pheromone trap was baited with thepheromone mixture and approximately 3-6 mg of 3-caryophyllene and eachcontrol trap was baited with the pheromone mixture. The control trapcontained no β-caryophyllene or other synergists. The pheromone mixtureused in the experiment was LURETAPE® obtained from Hereon Environmentalin Emigsville, Pa. The trapped adult insects of Heliothis virescens werecollected on a daily basis and the total number of trapped insects wascounted. Statistical analysis was done using the Least Squares meansseparation from the SAS GLM procedure.

FIG. 1 illustrates the average number of moths trapped per day in year2005. As illustrated in FIG. 1, there was about a 131% increase in thenumber of captured Heliothis virescens when β-caryophyllene was used asa synergist. The observed increase in captured moths was statisticallysignificant at Pr>t 0.01 (1,106 df).

FIG. 2 illustrates the average number of moths trapped per day in year2004. As illustrated in FIG. 2, there was about a 147% increase in thenumber of captured Heliothis virescens when β-caryophyllene was used asa synergist. The observed increase in captured moths was statisticallysignificant at Pr>t 0.23 (2,48 df).

Accordingly, a mixture of pheromones (Z,E)-9,12-tetradecadien-1-olacetate and (Z)-9-tetradecen-1-ol acetate, when used withβ-caryophyllene, significantly improved the trap captures. Thus,β-caryophyllene acts as a synergist with the mixture to attractHeliothis virescens.

Example 2 Spodoptera exigua Response to a Pheromone Synergist

An experiment was carried out in three locations in Arkansas to studythe response of beet army worm, Spodoptera exigua, in a cotton field toa pheromone synergist. The locations were near Fayetteville, WashingtonCounty, near Tillar, Drew County, and near Foreman, Little River County.β-caryophyllene was used as a synergist with (Z)-11-hexadecen-1-ol, apheromone for Spodoptera exigua. Tedders traps were used in theexperiment. Each pheromone trap was baited with (Z)-11-hexadecen-1-oland approximately 3-6 mg of β-caryophyllene and each control trap wasbaited with (Z)-11-hexadecen-1-ol. The control trap contained noβ-caryophyllene or other synergists. The trapped adult insects ofSpodoptera exigua were collected on a daily basis and the total numberof trapped insects was counted. Statistical analysis was done using theLeast Squares means separation from the SAS GLM procedure.

FIG. 3 illustrates the average number of moths trapped per day in year2005. As illustrated in FIG. 3, there was about a 69% increase in thenumber of captured Spodoptera exigua when β-caryophyllene was used as asynergist. The observed increase in captured moths was statisticallysignificant at Pr>t 0.01 (1,63 df).

FIG. 4 illustrates the average number of moths trapped per day in year2004. As illustrated in FIG. 4, there was about a −9% decrease in thenumber of captu red Spodoptera exigua when β-caryophyllene was used as asynergist. This decrease may possibly be due to unknown interactingenvironmental factors in year 2004.

As per year 2005 data illustrated in FIG. 3, the pheromone,(Z)-11-hexadecen-1-ol, when used with β-caryophyllene, significantlyimproved the trap captures. Thus, in certain conditions,(Z)-11-hexadecen-1-ol acts synergistically with β-caryophyllene toattract Spodoptera exigua.

All publications and patents cited above are hereby incorporated byreference.

1-44. (canceled)
 45. A composition comprising at least one pheromonecompound that attracts at least one species of the family Noctuidae, andat least one phytochemical compound selected from the group consistingof iso-caryophyllene and α-humulene.
 46. The composition of claim 46,wherein said at least one pheromone compound is(Z,E)-9,12-tetradecadien-1-ol acetate, (Z)-9-tetradecen-1-ol acetate, ora mixture thereof.
 47. The composition of claim 46, wherein said atleast one species is selected from the group consisting of Heliothisvirescens and Spodoptera exigua.
 48. The composition of claim 46,wherein the ratio of (Z,E)-9,12-tetradecadien-1-ol acetate and(Z)-9-tetradecen-1-ol acetate in the mixture is 7:3.
 49. The compositionof claim 45, wherein the concentration of phytochemical compound rangesfrom about 1 mg to about 20 mg.
 50. The composition of claim 45, whereinthe composition further comprises a pesticide, an insect growthregulator, or an insect sterilant.
 51. The composition of claim 50,wherein the insect growth regulator is dimilin.
 52. The composition ofclaim 45, wherein the composition is in the form of pellets,microspheres, nanoparticles or tubules.
 53. A trap for capturing aninsect, the trap comprising at least one storage receptacle comprisingthe composition of claim
 46. 54. A method for controlling noctuid mothscomprising administering to a predetermined site an effective amount ofa composition that controls at least one species of the familyNoctuidae, said site comprising the composition according to claim 46.55. The method of claim 54, further comprising periodically monitoringsaid at least one species of the family Noctuidae captured at thepredetermined site.
 56. The method of claim 55, the step of monitoringcomprising collecting the captured said at least one species of thefamily Noctuidae at the predetermined site and counting the total numberof the captured moths.
 57. The method of claim 54, wherein said at leastone species of the family Noctuidae is selected from the groupconsisting of Spodoptera exigua and Heliothis virescens.
 58. The methodof claim 57, wherein said at least one pheromone compound is selectedfrom the group comprising (Z,E)-9,12-tetradecadien-1-ol acetate,(Z)-9-tetradeeen-1-ol acetate, or a mixture thereof.
 59. The compositionof claim 58, wherein the ratio of (Z,E)-9,12-tetradecadien-1-ol acetateand (Z)-9-tetradecen-1-ol acetate in the mixture is 7:3.
 60. The methodof claim 57, wherein said at least one pheromone compound is(Z)-11-hexadecen-1-ol.
 61. The method of claim 54, wherein theconcentration of phytochemical compound ranges from about 1 mg to about20 mg.
 62. The method of claim 54, wherein the composition furthercomprises a pesticide, an insect growth regulator, or an insectsterilant.
 63. The method of claim 62, wherein the insect growthregulator is dimilin.
 64. The method of claim 54, wherein thecomposition is in the form of pellets, microspheres, nanoparticles ortubules.
 65. The method of claim 57, wherein the predetermined site is afield having a cotton crop.
 66. A method for attracting noctuid mothscomprising administering to a predetermined site an effective amount ofthe composition of claim
 46. 67. The method of claim 66, wherein thecomposition further comprises β-caryophyllene.